Hope Graduation Rate & Retention Rates

Hope College 2023 Graduation & Retention Report

How many Hope first-year students return for their second year, and how many go on to graduate? Retention and graduation rates help you understand how students progress at Hope. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.

• Hope Retention Rate
• Hope Graduation Rate
  • First Time Undergrads Attending Full Time
  • First Time Undergrads Attending Part Time
  • Non-First Time Undergrads Attending Full Time
  • Non-First Time Undergrads Attending Part Time
• Hope Drop Out Rate
• Methodology & References

Hope Retention Rate

The percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.

With 88% students making it past their freshmen year, Hope has freshmen retention rates above the national average.

Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.

When looking at just colleges and universities in Michigan, the average is 70.80%.

Hope Graduation Rates

How many of the estimated 620 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?

Four years after beginning their degree, 78% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 79% of the students had graduated and after eight years 79% of this class completed their degree.

Any student who completes their bachelor's degree within six years is considered to have graduated on time, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. This makes the offical Hope graduation rate 79%.

Hope Graduation Rates vs. National Average

The non-completers rate is anyone who is not still enrolled at the institution after eight years. Both transfer students and drop-outs could be included in this group.

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Hope Drop Out Rate

Approximately 161 students or 21% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.

What happened to the 161 students who did not complete their degree?

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 77 transferred to another institution.

• Hope lost contact with the remaining 84 who we assumed dropped out.

Hope Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity

Some Students Take More Time To Graduate

Traditional first-time, full-time students under 25 tend to graduate in four years far more often than other students. Some schools serve mostly traditional students while others serve more 'non-traditional' students — part-timers or those returning after time away — who commonly take longer to finish.

Traditional Students:

First-time, full-time students under the age of 25.

Non-Traditional Students:

Any student that is not first-time, full-time, and under the age of 25.

The majority of students at Hope are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.

Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.

First-Time / Full-Time Hope Graduation Rates

First-time / full-time students at Hope College represent 92.24% of the students in the class of 2023.

After six years, the Hope graduation rate was 80%, and by the eight year mark, 80% of the cohort had completed their degree.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.

Hope First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

First-Time / Full-Time Hope Drop Out Rates

141 first-time / full-time students or 20% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 77 transferred to another institution.

• Hope lost contact with the remaining 64 who we assumed dropped out.

First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

First-time / part-time students at Hope College represent 0.38% of the students in the class of 2023.

After six years, the Hope graduation rate was 0%, and by the eight year mark, 0% of the cohort had completed their degree.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, and 23.72% after eight years.

First-Time / Part-Time Hope Graduation Rates vs. National Average

First-Time / Part-Time Hope Drop Out Rates

3 first-time / part-time students or 100% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 0 transferred to another institution.

• Hope lost contact with the remaining 3 who we assumed dropped out.

Non First-Time / Full-Time Students

Returning / full-time students at Hope College represent 6.87% of the students in the class of 2023.

After six years, the Hope graduation rate was 74%, and by the eight year mark, 74% of the cohort had completed their degree.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.

Hope Non First-Time / Full-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

Non First-Time / Full-Time Hope Drop Out Rates

14 non first-time / part-time students or 26% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 0 transferred to another institution.

• Hope lost contact with the remaining 14 who we assumed dropped out.

Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rates

Returning / part-time students at Hope College represent 0.51% of the students in the class of 2023.

After six years, the Hope graduation rate was 0%, and by the eight year mark, 0% of the cohort had completed their degree.

Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.

Hope Non First-Time / Part-Time Graduation Rate vs. National Average

Non First-Time / Part-Time Hope Drop Out Rates

3 non first-time / part-time students or 100% did not complete their degree within eight years.

Of those who did not finish:

• 0 are still enrolled.

• 0 transferred to another institution.

• Hope lost contact with the remaining 3 who we assumed dropped out.

More Resources:

• An Explanation of Freshman Retention Rates.

• How Common is it to Transfer to a Different College?

• Are Non-Traditional Students Less Likely to Graduate?

• How Many People Drop-Out of College?

• How Average Time to Graduate Can Affect the Value of Your Degree.

References

• National Center for Education Statistics
• Image Credit: By Trenner1945 under License